Stupid Cupid
by Huggles4All
Summary: It's February, and a ball has been issued in the spirit of Valentine's Day. Hermione is excited, except that the one person she wants there refuses to go. Will she be able to persuade Ron into going?


**Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything you recognize. Post-HBP**

**Author's Note: I decided, upon inspiration, to write a one-shot. But this story is dedicated to all the girls who know what it's like to hope and who have been frustrated with boys, and to all the guys who always wonder why we're mad at them. **

**Stupid Cupid**

"…In mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, look'd up in prefect silence at the stars." –Walt Whitman

It was a cold, very cold, bright day in mid-February: February 13th, to be exact. There wasn't any snow on the ground at Hogwarts, so the magical world seemed dreary and grey, full of despair and crushed hopes, as well as the disappointment that seemed to linger in the air whenever the Be My Valentine Ball was brought up. At least, it seemed that way for me.

The boys, it seemed to us girls, were hopeless cases, too stubborn to go on their own unless they already had a girlfriend. But even then, their girlfriends were pressuring them to go, and they gave in willingly, figuring for the small price, it'd all be worth it. They'd be dancing with the one they loved, and to them, that seemed to make all the difference than to those who could've just cared less. Why did Dumbledore decide to make this one optional?

I could always just pass it off and play like I had nothing else to do. But where would that get me? I, Hermione Granger, was excited for this dance, not just because I already had a gorgeous set of red dress robes picked out, but because my best friends were going. Well, that's a stress. Two of them were going: Harry and Ginny. After his unbelievably quick defeat of Voldemort in January, he came rushing back to Ginny and took her with open arms. It was an adorable sight. Ron was more than enthused, and I was unbelievably happy for them.

He had missed her like crazy and even admitted to us that she was inspiration to win the war and to fight solely in her name. It was honorable, and that's how the magical world viewed Harry when he entered the Ministry of Magic, dragging Voldemort's cold, limp body with him. It was the dawn of a new day, and to Harry, with the burden of being the hero off his shoulders, a new day brought him a rekindled relationship, which meant he had a date to the Ball.

But as I said, two of my best friends were going. Ronald Weasley, however, was being difficult, and refused to go, because he didn't like 'dances' all that much and preferred to just stay up in his room, while the rest of us were downstairs.

I sighed as I looked out the window of the Gryffindor common room, wondering why him not wanting to go was bothering me so much, and because with my homework for the next couple weeks completed, I was bored, and had nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon.

The sky was too clear for my liking. I wanted snow so badly because this winter seemed like such a disappointment, Hogwarts barely receiving a snowstorm. Snow was the essence of magic by Valentine's Day, and no snow meant any of the magic I'd hoped for. I looked below outside the window to see several couples walking hand in hand, laughing, their expressions showing loving smiles and warm hearts. I'd never admit to anyone that was what I secretly longed for as well.

But that's how the world seemed to view me through a looking-glass, as the one who would focus her attention on books and assignments, and who didn't stop to think about boys or love, and hid from the world behind layers of comfort, as if I needed an excuse to escape everything that was going on. With Voldemort a while ago, that had been somewhat true, with the exception that I began having crazy thoughts that never seemed to make any sense to me.

When I started thinking Ron was cute I really don't know. It popped into my head one day before I could even realize I thought it, and about him, too. I blamed the thoughts on lack of rest, or that I was hungry, because that seemed logical to me. I clearly wasn't thinking right. Ron was an adorable guy, and the fact was another that I would not admit to him to his face, nor to anyone else who asked. He was my best friend, and one of the people I trusted most in the world. A relationship would just complicate a friendship that had already been though so much before, and couldn't afford to take another battle; because a battle of the hearts is the worst kind out there.

I think too much. I thought too much about how blue his eyes were, how every time he focused them on mine, I knew he was listening to whatever it was I was rambling on about. I thought too much about how whenever the sun hits his hair just right, he looks perfect. I thought too much about how whenever our hands touch on accident, even for the briefest of seconds, something sparks on my end. I thought too much about how I can feel his heart beat speed up if he hugs me after we fought over something stupid, or I'm about to cry over a grade I wasn't satisfied with. I think too much about Ron Weasley.

I think too much about how to convince him to change his mind to go to the Ball. Deciding to place these thoughts, yet again into the back of my mind, I decided to go downstairs to the Great Hall and get something to eat.

* * *

Not surprised, I walked in to find Harry, Ron, and Ginny all sitting at the table, Harry and Ginny noticeably holding hands underneath the table, and Ron focusing his complete attention on the empty plate in front of him, looking around to see what he should devour next, averting his eyes away from his best friend and his little sister.

"You two are making me sick," He said, as Harry and Ginny were about to kiss each other across the table, "I mean, we're in a public place! Everyone can see!"

"And that's a problem, why?" Harry asked him, not taking his eyes from Ginny's. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, causing several girls at nearby table to coo and 'aww' at them, each then turning back and sighing, looking around the Great Hall for potential boys who were currently single and available.

Ron made immature gagging noises across the table from them, and looked relived as I came over and sat down next to him. His pained look of innocence changed to a warm, grateful smile. It was a smile that made my heart melt.

"Hermione!" He said, calling attention back to the couple across from us, and I cleared my throat loudly a few times to ensure they break away, for Ron's sake.

"Hey Hermione." They both said in unison before turning back to one another and talking in quiet whispers. It was cute seeing them together, and it gave everyone out there hope that all could be right in this world.

I took this opportunity to ask Ron about the Ball, for about the third time this week. I figured if I annoyed him enough, he'd give in and have to say yes. Each time I'd brought it up he gave me the same excuses and said he'd never go. I usually wouldn't have minded, though, this time, deep in my heart, I wanted him to say yes more than anything.

"Ron, please come?" I asked quietly, bringing the subject up delicately.

"Come where?" He looked at me, his mouth full of food, with a little amount of sauce on his upper lip.

I sighed inadvertently. Boys can be so dense sometimes.

"You know where." Must he make me explain everything?

"The Ball?" He wiped the sauce from his lip and took another bite of his chicken.

"Yes." I said simply, making eye contact with my cute best friend.

"No way." He said finally, looking at his plate again.

I leaned in close to him, so only he would be able to hear me, "Why not?"

He looked at me with frustration, and began counting off the same reasons he'd given me all week on his fingers.

"Why not?" He repeated, with a tone of mocking.

"Because one:" he held up one finger, "I don't want to go. Two:" he held up another one, "because I can't. I have detention that night that I can't get out of--"

I cut him off and interjected right there, fighting back with the same argument I'd given him all week, determined to make these plans work out, "—but I told you, I can reason with McGonagall and see if she can reschedule your detention for the next night. She knows me, we can make this work."

"It can't, Hermione. She'd never reschedule a detention over a dance. And even if I could go, I wouldn't." He started smiling to himself. I hated when he brought that up, and even more when he smiled at that. Here I am, trying my hardest to convince him to loan a few hours of his time to go to this thing, and he won't even try to make this work. Does he have to bring up that he doesn't want to go every time? It's upsetting to me.

I whined as he continued with his list, holding up a third finger for me to see, "Three: I have nothing to wear--"

I interjected again, tired of these same arguments that never made any sense to me, "It's semi-formal. You have those dress robes Fred and George bought you fifth year, remember?"

He was choosing to ignore me. Boy, this boy was frustrating. He held up a fourth finger, and said firmly, "Four: you can't make me." He was just making up things now, and he held up his whole hand and concluded, "and five: I'm not going."

I rolled my eyes at him and shook my head, and he just scoffed at me, and his eyes looked defenseless, "What?" He asked, staring straight into my eyes and I sighed with hopelessness at him. I tutted my tongue at him and he just looked back at me.

"Oh, nothing." I said. I enjoyed it sometimes when I could be so vague with something that seemed of great importance. I learned from asking my other girl friends that this trick was one used by everyone, and a very useful trick it turned out to be.

"Fine. Be that way." He said those words often, and it annoyed me when he did. I simply rolled my eyes again.

"Why do you want me there so badly anyways?" He asked, looking at me inquisitively, shifting his body in his seat to face me. I looked down, taking particular interest in a crumb at the center of the table.

"Because I do." I was being vague again and I hated myself for it.

"Why?" He asked again, looking at me softly. Merlin, did he know?

"Because I just do." I repeated to myself, unable to think of anything cleverer to come back with. So not like myself.

"You'll have other people there to keep you entertained." He said, and jerked his head to the couple across from us, who were giggling in quiet whispers.

"So?" I said, picking up the crumb with my fingers and inspecting it more closely.

"You have other people to be with."

"They're not you." It was the truth. No one else seemed to compare to him. All my friends were great and I loved them immensely, but when it came to the Ball, I wanted Ron there, to dance with, to be with, to--

"But you don't need me there." He spoke to me softly, as if not to hurt me. Merlin, just because he had hurt me once before doesn't mean he will again. At least, he didn't have to act like I was a little child. However, I enjoyed when he spoke quietly. It made me seem like the world was ours.

"But I want you there." I said quietly, feeling my face heat up considerably. I looked into his eyes, trying to see if guilt had gotten the better of him yet. I could see it in his eyes a little bit, and I could tell because his pupils seemed to sink a little bit, and the blue became more pronounced. But determination got the better of him again.

"Why would you want me there?" He was studying me so intensely now.

"Because I do." I was being vague again and I hated myself for it. But I couldn't think of a just reason of why I really wanted him there. Or maybe I just wasn't admitting it to myself yet. Had I decided if I liked him again or not? Life was getting so much more complicated.

"But why? It's not like I'm the most important person in the world." We'd been through this before, several times before. He'd asked the same question and I'd given him the same answer. This time was no different.

"That's just what you think." I said, staring him full in the eyes, trying to play off his reaction and see if he just made a gross face and looked at me like I was crazy, for about the twelfth time this week.

It showed a little less of a grossed out smirk than usual, but traces of the look I now knew so well were still there. His eyebrows were raised at me and his mouth was twisted upwards in an 'are-you-hiding-something-from-me' half-smile. It confused me, because this expression was practically unreadable. But I'd tried to read it many times before and only came up with one solution: he was grossed out.

"What? Are you saying I'm the most important person in the world?" That smirk was there. I just wanted to kiss it- I mean, wipe it off his face. Merlin, where did that thought just come from?

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. If I was in denial over my feelings for him, he was the last person that I wanted knowing. For now, I'd play it off like I knew nothing. He'd catch on sooner or later.

"I never said anything, Ronald."

"But you implied it." He knew me too well.

"I did not."

"Did too."

We didn't say anything but rather just looked at each other, studying each other, trying to figure out what the other was saying and calling each bluff we said. His gaze was completely focused on mine, but I never backed down. I could see the light specks of gray that mixed in with the azure, and how his eyebrows creased when he was really confused. He didn't have a clue. I loved it.

Fortunately for me, the whole table got up and headed off to their afternoon classes, which meant that I had to tear my eyes away from his. This thought made me sad, and I was left to look only at the cinderblocks and stone in the Hogwarts walls.

Also fortunately for me, my next class was History of Magic, which meant Harry and Ron were joining me. It would be ample opportunity to try and break him down to say yes. He never would. But it never hurt a witch to try.

* * *

We took our usual seats in the gloomy classroom by the west windows, all sitting three in a row, Ron in the middle of Harry and I. I took out my parchment and hurriedly copied down the four rolls of notes Professor Binns had already put on the board. It was about the Werewolf Confederation of 1685. I, of course, had covered this chapter extensively in our books, so everything I was copying down was mere review.

In about 30 minutes time, the notes were done, for me, at least, which meant I was free to interrogate Ron for the remaining 30 minutes in class. I looked over and saw him and Harry practically sound asleep in their seats. Ron was drooling a little bit. Harry, seemed fall forward and jerk himself awake every few minutes. I laughed to myself and decided to let them sleep a little bit.

It was at that moment that I, Hermione Jane Granger, fell into a daydream unlike anything I have ever had before.

It was short and sweet. But in the daydream, I was in the Common Room, and I was sitting on the squishy armchair, just as I had been this morning. Ron was there, and the sun was just coming up above the line in the window, illuminating the whole room with golden sunlight. I was curled up in my robe, and I was hugging my knees close to my chest, just gazing out at the beauty of nature.

Ron came over and put his arms around me and we lay back against the couch. Then, in the most confusing moment of my daydream, Ron kissed me.

I was snapped out of my daydream and back to History of Magic when Ron, the object of my daydreams, tapped me on the shoulder and yawned sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Never thought I'd see you daydreaming in class." He said in my ear, causing a slight shiver to go up where my neck where his breath hit me. He smiled sheepishly at me. Merlin, that boy was too cute for his own good. Did I just think that?

"I have a lot on my mind." I said simply, quietly. Next to him, Harry was still jerking awake sporadically every few minutes, which caused both Ron and I to laugh slightly.

_Such as? _He wrote on a piece of scrap parchment that was supposed to be being used for the many rolls of notes we were expected to take. Though, the boys relied on me before, and I knew they'd be asking me for the real notes later.

_Please come tonight? _I scribbled back, in as neat writing as I could manage. It was quite hard, seeing as the paper was turned at the most awkward angle.

_No. _He scribbled untidily.

_Come on. If you wanted me to do something like this for you, I would. _It was the truth.

He studied the paper or a second, and then scribbled: _But I'd never ask you to do something like this._

_Fine. Be that way. _I enjoyed quoting him.

_I will. _He messily replied.

_You're Impossible. _I wrote down in defeat. He smiled to himself, shaking his red hair out of his face. I secretly adored it when he did that.

_So I am. _Was his reply. He was putting up quite a fight, and I didn't like it one bit.

"What's that?" Harry yawned, looking at the parchment with half-asleep eyes.

"Nothing." I said quickly, stuffing the parchment into my bag. Ron sniggered.

"Mate, is she still bugging you about the Ball?" Harry asked, yawning again.

"She sure is." Ron said, looking down at me.

"Let it go, Hermione. He's not going." He put his head down on the desk.

"You're not helping, Harry!" I hissed, a little louder than I planned.

He shrugged his sleepy shoulders and didn't say anything, and pretty soon I heard him snore lightly. Boys could be so frustrating sometimes. It didn't help that he probably understood why Ron didn't want to go, both of them being guys and all, or did he?

"See?" Ron said, looking at me with a look of triumph on his adorable face.

"Shut up." I hissed back at him and lightly hit him across the shoulder when Professor Binns wasn't looking. He laughed softly.

For the rest of class, that laugh rang in my head, and the depth of those eyes stayed in my head. It was during that moment I realized what I had been so naïve to all this time: I liked Ron Weasley, and I mean _really liked _him. Damn it.

* * *

Frustration in my mind and butterflies in my stomach, I began getting ready for the Ball with Ginny around 6 o'clock. The Ball wasn't starting until 10, but she agreed to meet Harry around 9, and I was going to follow after they had taken a few good looks at each other, snogged each other senseless, and then were actually ready to go to the Ball.

We had too much that needed to be done. For starters, we had wasted an hour just deciding on what accessories to wear to go with our dress robes, and shoes and how we should be styling our hair.

With our decisions in mind, I did Ginny's hair first in delicate loose curls that framed her face and hang on her shoulders. With her robes of tickle-me-pink, she looked radiant and I must say her hair coordinated very nicely. She had a pearl necklace and earrings she decided to wear with it, and it added just a light sophisticated flair. With her make-up on, she looked like a movie star. She was ready with the exception of her robes, and was now standing behind me in her robe, taming my frizzy curls into a neat, kept bun.

"He's not coming tonight, Gin." I said, sighing deeply, causing Ginny to, for the moment, sigh with frustration because I had not kept completely still.

"My brother's being a jerk. The most I can do for now is apologize." She said, bringing the muggle curling iron close to my head to get a nice, tight curl.

"It's not your fault, Gin. I pushed too hard. I just really wanted him there tonight." I said, and I sighed inadvertently, looking at myself mournfully in the mirror in front of us. I thought I looked different, and not just because I was getting made over.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at me, "Why?" She had a knowing smile on her face as if she knew what I was about to say, but was waiting for it.

"Because…" I said, and I immediately started blushing. Damn my sensitive skin.

"Yes?" Her knowing smile turned into a full-blown grin.

"I like him." I muttered into a pillow I held against my chest.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you, my dear." She cupped her hand around her ear, pretending she couldn't hear what I just said.

"I like Ron Weasley!" I yelled, and turned the color of my dress robes.

Ginny accidentally burned me slightly on the head with the curling iron as she squealed with glee.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry Hermione." She said, and set the curling iron down on the vanity in front of us. She came in front of me, blocking my view from the mirror, and gave me a big hug.

I giggled and hugged back. This was huge news. She had been hinting to me for years now that I should start liking Ron, ever since I was in my fourth year and she saw his jealousy at the Yule Ball and my regret. She's been attempting to bring up the conversation of relationships and 'perfect couples' since. However, I was in denial and Ron's clueless, so it never happened.

"Since when!" She asked me excitedly, after she pulled away.

"I guess, I don't know, always?" I said with a smile.

She squealed again, "Oh this is so exciting! You and Ron, _finally! _You're going to fall in love, if you haven't already. You're going to be my sister-in-law one day! Oh, can I be in your wedding?"

"Whoa Gin, calm down. We're getting a little ahead of ourselves here. Besides, I have one-sided feelings. This is Ron we're talking about. He doesn't feel the same way that I feel about him." My smile was starting to fade as I remembered this fact.

"We don't know that."

"If he liked me, he'd be going to the Ball tonight. If he liked me, he and I wouldn't fight as much and if he liked me, he'd have given me little signals along the way. Trust me: the only thing your brother feels toward me is friendship." These words burned at my heart and made it sear with pain. Thinking it was hard enough, but it seemed that saying these words aloud made them feel so much more real, which only caused the pain caused by them to be ten times worse.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I wish I knew what I could tell you about him. He's being dumb and he's being even dumber if he doesn't like you. Now, let's forget about him for now. There will be tons of good looking wizards at this Ball. So, let's get you finished so you'll look even finer." She finished with another encouraging smile, and the thought of dancing with other guys did sound promising, but I still wanted Ron there. Why? Because I liked him. I loathe my heart sometimes.

* * *

Finally, at quarter of 10, Ginny and I were all ready to descend the stairs into the Gryffindor Common Room. I decided that rather than wait in my room for half an hour before leaving, just wallowing in hopelessness, I'd go down with Ginny, and converse with Parvati and Lavender before Ginny and Harry were all ready to go.

I went down first. She and I decided to make Harry wait a minute before he could see her. It was cruel temptation for him, but it was fun.

Harry gave me a little smile when he saw me. I was in deep satin red dress robes, and Ginny had styled my hair perfectly in the neat bun of curls. I wore simple gold dangling earrings and a gold choker that looked like connected hearts around my neck. My make-up was sparse, but Ginny had told me it highlighted my 'radiant' face. I suppose I could take her word for it.

I stepped off to the side and watched as Ginny slowly, very slowly, descended the stairs into the Common Room. She was unveiling herself slowly, tempting her boyfriend. I looked from Harry to Ginny and saw his eyes widen with delight, and his mouth slowly drop as she came down the stairs. By the time she reached the bottom, he was a gawking puddle.

"You… you… you look…" He was at a loss for words. Aww.

She smiled and blushed, "Thanks. You look great!"

He finally regained his speech and his senses and pulled her into his arms. As if on cue, he began kissing her slowly. I predicted that one.

This was my cue exit their area. I went over to talk to Parvati and Lavender. I should have known. Lavender was back together with Seamus, and Parvati was with Dean. I should have predicted this, too.

I went and exited the Common Room, waiting for the very in-love couple to exit through the door.

It was only ten minutes before they came through, and we walked into the Entrance Hall together, me keeping a short distance behind. About three hundred other witches and wizards dressed in robes of dazzling, bewitching colors were spread out, scattered like sweet candies in a glimmering bowl.

The clock struck 10, and in masses, the lot of us poured into to the Great Hall. It was, if possible, even more beautiful than it had been decorated for the Yule Ball.

The lights were dim, but serene candles were the only thing lighting the majestic Hall. The sky was bewitched to illuminate a galaxy of stars, and pale gold and pink décor was spread about like wildfire. There were few tables, seeing as only about seventy-five percent of the school was attending, and the stage had reappeared at the front where the Head's table would usually be. There was a band, The Hippogriffs, playing intimate jazz music softly on stage. As we entered the Hall, light confetti was sprinkling down from the door, giving off the illusion of white glitter.

Ginny gasped slightly upon entering and clutched Harry's arm a little tighter, and I followed behind them, admiring in awe myself. Harry kept smiling, as did every other boy who decided to come. It was definitely worth it.

We headed for a table nearby and Ginny and I deposited our purses and our heels and headed for the dance floor, Ginny taking Harry by the hand. The pair of them began dancing and I danced as best I could to the jazzy beat of the music, still gazing longingly at the door, as if hoping he'd still come.

After a few songs had been played, the first slow song of the evening commenced. Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny and I smiled at them; they really were such a nice couple. I took this as my cue to leave the dance floor, and in doing so, I went to get a drink, not taking my eyes from the door.

I knew it was a long hope. I knew it would never happen. But that never stopped me from gazing at that door, as if my eyes would summon Ron there, looking dashing in a casual set of dress robes. I felt my face burning up at this secret desire of mine, and I just drank my water, refilling it upon my request.

I looked down the long, wooden table and saw, to my relief, that I was not the only girl who had left the dance floor. There were many other girls doing the same, and guys who seemed to have lost all nerve to approach the female kind.

_Wizards are confusing,_ I thought, still gazing at the great oak doors, imagining with all my might that Ron might appear, while still looking at the other boys who were looking down at their feet.

The slow song ended, much to my satisfaction, and another fast, jazzy tune came on. I rejoined Harry and Ginny on the dance floor, moving about, and Ginny and I danced together, twirling each other around and laughing all the while. Harry just stood watching us, laughing with amusement.

The three of us danced ridiculously in a circle for what seemed like ages. Twirling, laughing, and spinning: just being teenagers having a good time. We danced some line dances and Ginny and I even kicked off our high heels so our feet wouldn't hate us later. I had, for a moment, forgotten about Ron refusing to join in on the festivities, but it all came rushing back to me once the second slow song started.

Ginny gave me a look of sympathy, before returning to Harry, who had wrapped his arms around her once more to pull her in for a nice, romantic dance. I watched them swaying there, and I watched as Ginny closed her eyes and lay her head on Harry's chest. I watched as the smile stayed on her face and I watched Harry kiss the top of her head, and lean down and murmur something into her right ear that only caused her smile to widen.

I smiled fondly at them, and turned around to walk away, not wanting to intrude any longer on their moment. It was their time, and I didn't want to be some weird person just staring at them, even if we were all best friends. It was their time, and I knew that.

I turned around to gaze at the door, but there was something, or rather, someone, blocking my range of vision. They were so tall…

I looked up and caught the gaze of Ron Weasley upon me. I gasped in surprise, in shock, and in happiness. I had to be dreaming. I just had to be.

I blinked several times, but the image never left my eyes. There he was, standing inches from me and clad in navy blue robes that accented all the shades of blue in his deep, longing eyes. His hair was messy and windswept, but it looked as though he had tried to comb it down. This was for the better though; his hair looked much better messy. It suited him better, and reflected more on his personality: down-to-earth and confident.

"May I have this dance?" Ron had leaned down and whispered into my ear. He had turned crimson all over his face, and he looked slightly apprehensive.

I blushed subconsciously. There was no way this was actually happening.

"I was afraid you'd never ask." I whispered back, smiling up at him. My face turned as red as his was. But it was something beyond my control. My heart was acting now, and my head might have to pick up the pieces another day, if it needed to. I prayed my heart would stay in control now.

He smiled brighter, his eyes alive with something I'd never quite noticed in them before, and wrapped his arms around my waist. I felt safe as he did that, like no one or nothing could cause me any harm. I felt invincible, and knew, at that moment, that in his arms was where I belonged. It was true what they say about that instinct where you know something, without reason, without logic. This was one of those moments.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, which was not the easiest feat, considering that he's considerably taller than me. It should have been uncomfortable for me, but it felt right. He smiled and laughed slightly at my little struggle, and bent his head down, making it mere inches from mine.

He and I swayed there, not saying anything for the whole length of the song. We just basked in the moment and let the music take us where it wanted to go. For the first time that night, my mind wasn't swimming with thoughts and anxieties. It was just being, and I was just living.

The song ended too soon for my liking, and I was reluctant to pull away. He kissed me on the cheek, and had my hand in his. I saw him give a curt little nod to Harry over me and I turned around, forgetting we weren't the only ones there.

Ginny was smiling and Harry had his arm draped across both of her shoulders. She looked at me as if to say, _I told you, _and winked at me. I laughed a little bit and bit my lower lip, anticipating what was to come. Harry nodded back to Ron, and the couple turned away from us more, Harry catching Ginny in a slow kiss.

Ron shook his head and looked back down at me. Unaware that he and I were even moving, he lead me outside, into the cool air, and stopped with me right outside. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

He smiled and held me in his arms once we got outside, keeping me warm. I couldn't help but smile back.

"You… you came." I stuttered out through the cold, still slightly in shock.

He laughed and smiled, "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry for giving you a hard time earlier, but I just wanted to surprise you."

I smiled back up at him, "I'm certainly surprised, but I'm really glad you came."

"So am I. I've fancied you as long as I can remember. You're perfect." He said, and he opened his mouth to say something else, but closed it again. This repeated several times, as if he was contemplating something. I raised my eyebrow up at him in question.

"Ron, are you--" I was blushing like mad, his words affecting me greatly.

But he cut me off with a question, speaking quickly, nervously, "Will you be my valentine, Hermione?"

I smiled, my heart overjoyed at his words. I met his eyes, "Of course."

He hugged me tightly and spun me around, as we heard another slow song start in the Great Hall. He put my hand around his neck, where I joined it with my other one as his arms returned to my waist, and we began dancing again.

I had a valentine. I had Ron. I had Ron as my valentine.

Underneath the twinkling stars, the world was ours. It was all still but for us, and I would have had it no other way.

I looked up at him once more and we shared a smile, and, in my conscious, real life, Ron bent his head down and kissed me sweetly and slowly on the lips. It was better than any daydream I'd ever fantasized: It was real. It was Ron, the one I trusted most in the world, and who I now trusted with my heart. I kissed him back in the same way he'd kissed me and wished it would never end.

I had no words to express the sheer joy in my heart, nor did I have the breath to tell him my feelings. But I guess that will have to wait for later, because the moment, and living in what is now, is all that matters.

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed it! Please review?**


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